Time Squared
' |image= |series= |production= |producer(s)= |story=Kurt Michael Bensmiller |script=Maurice Hurley |director=Joseph L. Scanlan |imdbref=tt0708827 |guests=Colm Meaney as Miles O'Brien |previous_production=The Royale |next_production=The Icarus Factor |episode=TNG B13 |airdate=3 April 1989 |previous_release=The Royale |next_release=The Icarus Factor |story_date(s)=Stardate 42679.2 |previous_story=The Royale |next_story=The Icarus Factor }} =Summary= While the Enterprise is en route to their planned destination, ship's sensors detect a lone shuttlecraft drifting through empty space with no power or fuel reserves. When Lt. Worf and Commander Riker use the tractor beam to bring it into the shuttlebay, they find it has the same name and registry as an Enterprise shuttle. Inside is a double of Captain Picard, barely clinging to life. After the double is brought to sickbay for treatment, Lt. Commander Data and Chief Engineer La Forge power up the shuttle, but only after a lengthy period of trial and error. It is then discovered that the shuttle's internal clock is about six hours ahead of the ship's chronometer which means that the shuttle, and therefore Picard's double, is from six hours into the future. They recover a very poor quality sensor log video that shows the Enterprise falling into an energy vortex and being destroyed. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pulaski determines that the incoherent double's biological functions are out of sync, but are improving as the future Picard draws nearer to his own time. Picard orders that his future self be revived, but is unsuccessful in extracting any information from him. Picard is disquieted at the idea that he would abandon his ship and its crew. As the crew members debate their options, they decide to continue on their current course. They suddenly find themselves in the same vortex, and are unable to escape, even with the engines at maximum output, and only become drawn in further. They send a probe into the vortex which immediately explodes. Scans emanating from the vortex appear to focus on Picard, and an energy beam strikes him, leading him to theorize that there is an intelligence controlling the vortex which seems to be interested in him personally, and that his double left the ship to draw its attention. Picard's double, now almost completely aware and coherent, sets out to leave the Enterprise as he did before. Picard follows him, asserting that there must have been another option, though the double only mumbles about it being impossible. As the double is boarding the shuttlecraft, Picard proclaims that the cycle will be broken and fires at him with a phaser. Dr. Pulaski wordlessly examines Picard's double with a tricorder as Chief O'Brien stares in shock. Picard returns to the bridge and orders that the Enterprise fly straight into the center of the vortex. The Enterprise comes through the other side into normal space, and the doubles of Picard and the shuttlecraft disappear. The Enterprise resumes its course. =Errors and explanations= Internet Movie Database Character error # In the opening scene, crew members gather as Riker is cooking eggs. Dr. Pulaski brings a bottle of special ale as a gift, telling Riker that "your omelets deserve no less"; yet, moments later, when Riker serves the crew members, he clearly serves them scrambled eggs, not omelets. Riker was attempting to make omelets, but they came out wrong. Continuity # When Picard leaves the bridge to go to see his duplicate in sick bay, Picard leaves first, then Troi follows him. By the time Picard reaches sick bay Troi is already there. Troi may have travelled ahead.tt0708827 Nit Central # Keith Alan Morgan on Friday, April 23, 1999 - 07:34 am: They are receiving the automated beacon of a shuttlecraft, but they cannot communicate with it because the shuttle is powerless. Well, why can't the communicators be fitted with the same power source as the automated beacon? Exactly what do they use to power these things anyway? These things are designed to travel through space so wouldn't it be sensible to equip them with batteries that can be recharged from stellar radiation? The automated beacon may be better protected from damage than the communication system. =Sources= Category:The Next Generation Category:Episodes